It is with great honor that I assume the role of Superintendent of the Gadsden City School System. After more than 30 years of experience, you might even say it is the fulfillment of a dream.

In accordance with the system’s stated mission, I seek to empower teachers, students, and parents to engage in the use of educational resources to impact student learning and promote higher achievement, and furthermore, to ensure that all students graduate from safe and caring schools, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and desire to succeed. I intend to promote full engagement in the learning process, including providing support to the instructional staff so that they may be able to enhance their ability to reach each student at his or her level of understanding in order to maximize the benefits of their instruction, to engage the administrative staff in constructive debate about how to best meet the social and emotional needs of each student, and to encourage the support staff that no job is too small to accomplish big things.

Realizing the important role the entire community plays in the success of our beloved school system, I intend to invite all stakeholders to be a part of the journey, whether by supporting our athletic programs, our fine arts programs, or mentoring students individually or in small groups, there is a place at the table for all to serve and to be served. The harvest is truly plentiful…

Our school system has high expectations for student achievement, and we must work TOGETHER to accomplish each of our goals.

E-mail: treddick@gadsdencityschools.org